Spadaro: Eagles shine under the bright lights of Monday Night Football
Eagles , Vikings , philadelphia eagles , Minnesota Vikings , jalen hurts , vikings vs eagles , eagles vs vikings , Kirk Cousins…The stars were out as the Eagles opened the 2022 home season on Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings. They peppered the stands – stars from the world of sports (James Harden, Bryce Harper) and movie stars (Bradley Cooper) and television actors (Quinta Brunson) and musicians (Questlove) – and they came out in full throat and with great energy – a prime-time crowd for a Monday Night Football game.
In their second game of the year, the Eagles gave them all exactly what they wanted: A wire-to-wire win in a national-spotlight moment, 24-7 over the Vikings that felt every bit as good as the final score. The Eagles served notice of what happens when the offense puts on a video-game kind of performance and the defense clamps down on one of the best attacks in the NFL.
It was football poetry as the Eagles upped their record to 2-0, and while the team will quickly wash the win and focus on a road trip to Washington on a short week, it was something to behold.
"It felt great out there, it really did," said defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who had three total tackles, a quarterback sack, and a forced fumble. "It was electric. The crowd was awesome. You could feel the electricity and, man, we just came out flying around on offense and on defense."
The list of standouts starts with quarterback Jalen Hurts because he was magnificent in every way from the very start of the game. On the Eagles' first possession to open the game, Hurts completed all five of his passes to four different receivers for 63 yards on an 11-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that he ended with a 3-yard touchdown run on which Hurts dragged three defenders into the end zone.
Overall, Hurts was just about perfect: He completed 26 of 31 passes for 333 yards, one touchdown, and an interception (a pass that went off the hands of running back Kenneth Gainwell) and ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Hurts escaped pressure when there was some, he threw to his receivers on time, he read everything the Vikings threw at him from a scheme standpoint, and he delivered in the clutch. On a 75-yard drive that ended the first half with a Jake Elliott field goal to boost the lead to 24-7, Hurts started with a first down at the Philadelphia 5-yard line and gave the offense some breathing room with a 9-yard run. Instead of killing the clock and preserving a two-touchdown lead, Head Coach Nick Sirianni had Hurts drop back and wing it.
"We ran for a first down there just to get some room and then it was on Jalen and he stepped up and delivered," tight end Dallas Goedert said. "Coach showed a lot of confidence in the offense, in Jalen in particular. Jalen was just outstanding."
Hurts certainly was as he rushed the Eagles into scoring position, completing passes to DeVonta Smith (16 yards) and two to Goedert (19 yards and 24 yards) to set Elliott up for the 38-yard field goal going into the half.
That drive was just an example of Hurts' brilliance. He threw a perfect 53-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Quez Watkins, who ran a great combo route with Goedert – Goedert lined up inside Watkins and ran a route toward the sideline, drawing two Vikings defenders, and Watkins ran his route straight down the field into a wide-open zone and Hurts found him for the easy pitch-and-catch score.
Hurts also accounted for the team's third touchdown when he had a sensational 26-yard touchdown run, a designed run on which he carried to the right side, followed a Goedert block on safety Harrison Smith and then again broke multiple tackles before lunging into the end zone.
"Great run," Goedert said. "I had a chance to make a block and I was able to get my body on the guy (Smith) but then it was all Jalen. He showed his power. He played a great game in every way. He led the offense once again."
There was a lot more on this night, though. Some of the macro-level storylines to appreciate ...
1. A lot of the beauty of this offensive night on which the Eagles racked up 486 yards was the balance of the offense. The running game accounted for 163 yards on 34 attempts. Eight different receivers caught passes, with Smith catching seven passes for 80 yards on seven targets and A.J. Brown contributing five catches and 69 yards. Goedert was a beast with five catches, a game-high 82 yards, and a stellar job blocking. The offense opened with some no-huddle tempo that center Jason Kelce said "got them (the Vikings) tired up front." The Eagles used Smith out of the slot, moved Brown around, and really had success with their formation variation. Sirianni and Offensive Coordinator Shane Steichen have the offense cooking and they are utilizing every weapon on that side of the ball.
2. Minnesota's defense stymied Green Bay in Week 1 and got after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a strong pass rush that produced four sacks and an interception. The Eagles' offensive line responded to the challenge against strong edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Za'Darius Smith and the offense followed suit. It all starts up front and the Eagles again dominated in the offensive trenches.
"We knew how good they were and we were up for the challenge," left tackle Jordan Mailata said. "We have a lot to clean up, in my opinion. Our goal is to be the best as a unit and we knew that to win this game tonight we had to win against a good front. We had some mistakes, but overall I think as a unit we got the job done."
3. Cornerback Darius Slay was in coverage against star wide receiver Justin Jefferson much of the night and, wow, did he have a ballgame. Slay recorded two interceptions – one at the goal line and one in the end zone – and had five passes defensed. Jefferson opened the season with nine receptions, an NFL-best 184 yards, and a pair of scores against Green Bay. On Monday night, he had six catches for 48 yards on 12 targets. The Eagles came out and rallied to the football and limited Jefferson, muzzled Adam Thielen (4 catches, 52 yards), and shut down running back Dalvin Cook (17 yards on 6 carries, and 4 catches for 19 yards).
https://vk.com/@675994570-silent-parade-2022-hd
https://vk.com/@641273403-silent-parade-hd
http://pastebin.falz.net/2418093
https://tech.io/snippet/KtimubN
https://vk.com/@641466561-silent-parade-2022-hk
https://vk.com/@mopies-silent-parade2022-tw
https://paiza.io/projects/h3ANzUyX0XO8lSXU5_uA9w
https://vk.com/@636980441-silent-parade-2022
https://vk.com/@637021391-silent-parade-2022-4k-hd1080p
https://paste.artemix.org/-/u+jb9u
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/962bc4d5
https://vk.com/@elisa2021-silent-parade-2022
https://vk.com/@637053698-2022-4k-hd1080p
https://backlinktool.io/p/wRSvGUSGlyNdoIrYWE4F.html
https://paste.cutelyst.org/ii_mI_KNT
https://vk.com/@versiontw-silent-parade-2022hd-4k
https://vk.com/@637318227-silent-parade-20221080p
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/8c1b9d87#gASjyzuLsifgkyDm05GJjmEjRBpUNGyI
https://vk.com/@637328500-smile-2022-4k-hd1080p
https://vk.com/@637548689-smile-2022
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/58238/index.html
https://pasteio.com/xgCBosI1yHbm
https://vk.com/@637607990-smile-2022hd
https://vk.com/@movie93-smile2022-hd
https://mymediads.com/articles/152699?new_advert=true
https://vk.com/@sgxfz-smile-2022hd-twhk
https://jsfiddle.net/adikate954/bx9cf6t7/1/
https://vk.com/@637856428-smile-2022-hd1080p
https://coliru.stacked-crooked.com/a/466967e7811dc398
"We had our minds set to go out here and dominate and play this game with a lot of effort and with a lot of talent," said Slay, who ran over to Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden and handed him the football after the first interception. "Guys were out there executing their job. That is what we do. Coach (Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon) put us in a great position to win."
4. Miles Sanders was again very productive, rushing for 80 yards on 17 carries as he broke tackles and ran hard and showed terrific vision and power. The Eagles had those 163 yards on the ground after the Week 1 total of 216 yards and, if you had any doubts, don't. The running game is very real once again.
"I'm telling you, when we get this offense rolling, with the weapons that we have, it's a lot of fun," Sanders said. "That first half (when the Eagles scored 24 points and gained 347 total net yards), we were moving the ball up and down the field. The thing is, we didn't sustain that. We didn't score in the second half. I think that's going to be our focus this week, what we didn't do right. What won the game for us tonight was the defense. Those guys did a great job."
5. OK, the defense. The coverage was obviously outstanding. Slay was dominating. Avonte Maddox had an interception and controlled Thielen. Linebacker T.J. Edwards had 10 tackles, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, and a pass defensed. He loved the execution of the defense and he loved the mindset.
"We knew we had to rally to the football on every play and we had to be sound in our assignments," he said. "I think that's what we did. We were solid. It's something to build on."
6. Cox and end Josh Sweat had quarterback sacks and the Eagles controlled the line of scrimmage. They allowed just 62 rushing yards on 11 carries, with a long of 17 yards. Very impressive. In all, the defense gave up a paltry 264 total net yards and the Vikings converted just 4 of 12 third downs. The longest pass completion for Minnesota was 19 yards. That's going to make the coaching staff very happy.
With it all, the Eagles felt great as they left Lincoln Financial Field on Monday night. But they know what's ahead: It's a short week. The NFC East schedule opens Sunday in Washington. Nothing is going to come easily for this football team.
"Let's get right back to business," center Jason Kelce said. "A win is great and it feels good, but we know it's a long season and this is just one week. It's good to leave here with a win and now it's on to Washington and that's what matters next."
Hurts, so good! Eagles QB dominant in 24-7 win over Vikings
PHILADELPHIA -- — Jalen Hurts rolled to his right, scampered down the sideline and stutter-stepped to the 5-yard-line, where he was wrapped up by a defender with another in pursuit. Hurts twisted his body, lowered his head, dragged two defenders with him and powered his way in for an adrenaline-filled 26-yard touchdown run that about broke the game open.
Just maybe, or so the Eagles can hope, there are many more plays like that one ahead.
Hurts had 301 total yards in the first half in the breakout game of his young career, finishing with three total touchdowns as he led Philadelphia to a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.
“Big-time performance on a big-time stage,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
“Big-time performance on a big-time stage,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
Hurts hit five receivers on 5-for-5 passing — highlighted by a 19-yard strike to A.J. Brown — and finished the drive himself with a 3-yard scoring run. In the opening win against Detroit, Hurts failed to complete a pass on five attempts and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs on the first drive of the game.
https://vk.com/@637858933-hd2022-smile
https://vk.com/@film95-smile-hd
https://vk.com/@saritiw-hd-4k-smile-1080p
https://muckrack.com/philadelphia-eagles-1/bio
https://vk.com/@638204390-hd-2022-smile
https://vk.com/@638201397-smile-2022
https://vk.com/@godmo95-2022-hdsmile
https://txt.fyi/-/22262/dcecb05d/
https://www.pastery.net/sqppnh/
https://vk.com/@638876763-smile-2022-tw
https://pastelink.net/thya04sf
https://vk.com/@prabayar-smile-2022-hktw-1080p
https://yamcode.com/co2jabziny
https://dotnetfiddle.net/7Gpw2W
https://vk.com/@639065210-smile-2022hktw1080p
https://ide.geeksforgeeks.org/c4b5cb9f-de71-482c-8d58-7722c6044a1a
https://vk.com/@trendingmovies-smile-zh
https://vk.com/@xyx93-smile-2022-hd
http://pastie.org/p/1FImUVgvRgYlPCqnXIBoDP
https://vk.com/@xmovies95-smile-hd-2022
https://vk.com/@gtre95-smile-4k-tw
https://onlinegdb.com/wMn1dm1Q4
https://vk.com/@639646543-smile-2022
Hurts hit five receivers on 5-for-5 passing — highlighted by a 19-yard strike to A.J. Brown — and finished the drive himself with a 3-yard scoring run. In the opening win against Detroit, Hurts failed to complete a pass on five attempts and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs on the first drive of the game.
That seemed like just a rumor against the Vikings. The TD was just the liftoff for the 24-year-old Hurts throwing, running, imposing his will with all his available tools against a Vikings defense that could not solve him in his 21st career start. He finished with 333 yards passing and a touchdown, and 57 yards and two scores on the ground.
“Another outstanding performance. He threw some unbelievable balls. He made a lot of plays," Eagles center Jason Kelce said. “This was a really great, well-rounded game for him.”
On the first play of the second quarter, Hurts connected with a wide-open Quez Watkins for a 53-yard TD and the 14-0 lead.
“It always comes with time and as time goes on, you find more comfort with what you're doing,” Hurts said.
Darius Slay, who had two interceptions against a hapless Kirk Cousins, had called each of the Eagles’ trio of talented receivers Batman.
There was, Brown, the “swole” Batman who had five catches for 69 yards; DeVonta Smith was the “skinny” Batman who had seven for 80 yards; and Watkins was the “fast” Batman who had the burners on for the easy score (and 69 total yards receiving).
Why are they all Batman?
“No Robins. We’ve got no sidekicks,” Slay said.
Hurts dazzled with the 26-yard TD with 1:58 left in the half and Jake Elliott still had time to kick a 38-yarder and the Eagles took a 24-7 lead into halftime.
“I don't think it matters how we score as long as we're putting points on the board,” Hurts said.
In a Week 2 full of improbable comebacks, perhaps it wasn’t wise to count out the Vikings.
But Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson — famously passed over by the Eagles in the 2020 draft — never got anything going of substance against the Eagles and maligned defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Slay had his second interception of the game in the fourth quarter as the scoreboard soon flashed “Big Play Slay.”
“It felt at times, me included, like we pressed a little bit," Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.
Hurts had 50 yards rushing and 251 yards passing in the first half. Cousins finished the game 27 for 46 for 221 yards and three interceptions. His lone TD was on a 2-yard pass to Irv Smith in the second quarter. Jefferson had six catches for 48 yards a week after he had 184 receiving yards and two TDs in a win against Green Bay.
http://pastebin.falz.net/2418093
https://paiza.io/projects/h3ANzUyX0XO8lSXU5_uA9w
https://paste.artemix.org/-/u+jb9u
https://paste.cutelyst.org/ii_mI_KNT
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/58238/index.html
https://www.pastery.net/sqppnh/
https://yamcode.com/co2jabziny
https://tech.io/snippet/KtimubN
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/962bc4d5
https://backlinktool.io/p/wRSvGUSGlyNdoIrYWE4F.html
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/8c1b9d87#gASjyzuLsifgkyDm05GJjmEjRBpUNGyI
https://pasteio.com/xgCBosI1yHbm
https://mymediads.com/articles/152699?new_advert=true
“I take no matchup lightly, but he is one of the best in the world. I am one of the best in the world, too. I was looking forward to the matchup,” Slay said of Jefferson.
PHILLY CELEBS
Bryce Harper (wearing an Eagles hat), James Harden (who was handed the ball by Slay after his first interception) and Bradley Cooper (wearing an Allen Iverson T-shirt) were among the jam-packed and fight-song singing crowd at the Eagles’ home opener.
Harden was pumped with his souvenir, posting an Instagram photo of his left hand holding the ball with the caption “Gimme That!” The Philadelphia 76ers star snapped selfies with fans before he left late in the game.
Harden waited in the tunnel for Slay to autograph the football. Harden good-naturedly told Slay he should have had even more interceptions.
“He was shocked that I gave it to him,” said Slay, who noted he kept the ball from the second pick.
FAMILIAR RING
Dick Vermeil received his Hall of Fame ring at halftime. In his third season in Philadelphia, the coaching great led the Eagles to their first playoff appearance in 18 years. He guided the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance in the 1980 season only to lose to the Oakland Raiders, 27-10.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Vikings safety Harrison Smith was evaluated for a concussion.
UP NEXT
Vikings: Return home Sunday to play the Lions.
Eagles: Start a reunion tour Sunday when they head out to play the Washington Commanders and former QB Carson Wentz. The Eagles return home Sunday, Oct. 2 and play the Jacksonville Jaguars, led by coach Doug Pederson. Wentz and Pederson, of course, played pivotal roles in helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl after the 2017 season.